English Dub Review: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc “The Hashira Unite”

Overview (Spoilers Below):

During a silent night when the moon shines, Kagaya finally meets Muzan Kibutsuji, who appears at the Ubuyashiki Mansion.  Kagaya is staying alive day by day through his steadfast desire to defeat Muzan, while Muzan dreams of eternity.  What will these two, bound by a continuous thousand-year fate, talk about?

Our Take:

It was only four years ago when I was first introduced to Demon Slayer through the Mugen Train movie.  Four years later, I’m still proud to call myself a fan of the critically acclaimed anime.  So, it left me saddened that we have reached the end of the show’s run, at least until the “Infinity Train” movie trilogy comes out to conclude Tanjiro’s story entirely.  But, at the same time, I was also happy to be a part of this experience with everyone else while it lasted.

The season finales for Demon Slayer usually upped the stakes through their presentations and emotional depth, serving as thrilling and heartfelt conclusions to the show’s engrossing arcs.  The best example I recently thought of was the finale of the Swordsmith Village arc, which provided emotionally intense stakes for Tanjiro’s relationship with Nezuko.  As of now, that episode remains the only part of the series that actually made me cry.  “The Hashira Unite” is no exception, with Muzan, revealed as the former member of the Ubuyashiki bloodline, confronting Kagaya and the other Hashira while revealing the villain’s role in Kagaya’s illness. Although, unlike the previous finales, this conclusion wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, as its frustrating cliffhanger leaves us hanging until the film trilogy releases.

While it doesn’t reach similar heights as the season three finale, “The Hashira Unite” is nonetheless a beautifully animated and engaging series finale that reminds me why I love Demon Slayer in the first place.  The exploding mansion sequence was the episode’s highlight regarding the incredible animation style.  Understandably, its cliffhanger ending would leave viewers fuming until the trilogy comes out, and the action was brief compared to the other season finales.  However, the season’s ambitious direction to prioritize sentimental character-driven moments first and save the spectacle for last deserves recognition in my eyes. I’m really excited about the direction they’re going with the film trilogy, and believe me, I’ll be there for all three chapters on each opening weekend.